Getting Off Birth Control - A Good Idea?

[confusedks]

CarlaB,

I guess the hope is for me to not belled 90 days in a row and then go 6 months without a period at all. My periods are SO crazy out of control that my GYN wants me to just be able to "shed" every month so I don't end up bleeding for 90 days consecutively again. And the newest thing was not having my period for 6 months and then she induced it and it won't go away so we don't want another 90 day period. I guess we don't really care if it's a fake "regular" period, just anything to help my confused body. :/

Kassandra

[CarlaB]

Kassandra, were you underweight? Many who are either underweight or overweight are prone to ammenhorea. Estrogen is fat soluble.

If that were the case, I wouldn't know why the doctor would find it necessary to artificially start the period ... and you're obviously sensitive to whatever he used, if it were a hormone, I would be concerned about fixing it with another hormone given your 6 month reaction.

Also, if you didn't ovulate, there's no reason to artificially start the period ... before menstruation, young women don't need this done, and after menopause they don't either. If you ovulated, you would have menstruated.

Did he try to look for the cause of the problem, or is he just fixing the symptoms?

Just throwing some ideas out there Personally, I'd find another doctor.

I didn't mean to sound like I was doubting your issues.

[confusedks]

CarlaB,

Well I am 17 and got my period when I was 14 and it never once has been regular. The problem was I got SOOOO severely anemic. Last year in March I got my period and then it took 90 days for it to go away. I was put on the pill at about day 80 of bleeding (I didn't go to the dr. til day 79ish). Then I was on the pill for about 5 months and I hated it. Then I went off in about August and things were semi-regular. Finally in January it was time to get my period and it didn't come and then it kept not coming and I finally called my OB/GYN and she said that it is dangerous to go more than 6 months without your period as it can damage your reproductive organs . (I REALLY want to have kids one day...lol) Then she gave me some kind of hormone pill for 5 days and it induced my period. But then it wasn't going away and because I get so anemic reallllllly quickly she didn't want me to have to have IV iron again so she wanted me to go on the pill so I don't bleed like crazy or not bleed at all. I have talked to my regular dr. who is amazinnnnng and he said that I should go on the pill also, so I think (who ever really knows...right?) that my OBGYN is good. And I didn't think you were doubting me at all.

Kassandra

[CarlaB]

Kassandra, I think you're getting really bad advice. You don't need to bleed if you didn't ovulate.

My daughter is 19 and was not regular even as a senior in HS (17-18 years old). She also got it when she was 14 ... it would stop when she was doing sports, for months at a time, then she'd stop and it would start again. That's because estrogen is fat soluble. When her body fat would lower, she'd stop ovulating. It's all natural.

Most gynecologists want their patients on the Pill because it makes everyone "regular". Also you need to keep going back for a prescription.

I would find another doctor. I'm just a stranger on the internet, but I did teach natural family planning for 7 years and I do know about how the hormones and cycle work. You should do some research on this yourself ... the internet is a good place to start. Read both sides ... I think you will see more logic in the side that says the pill isn't going to help you.

Read the insert for the pill. It is not without side effects and dangers.

You might go to Open Original Shared Link and ask them for some information on what I'm telling you. They will have studies or other information they can give you. I don't teach and haven't for a few years, so I don't have the information anymore.

Do your research. I would NEVER let my daughter start the pill. Never.

[confusedks]

CarlaB,

Thanks for your ideas. I was totally completely 100% against the pill but I almost died from anemia because I bled for so long. It was that or being sent to the hospital for estrogen IV's to stop the bleeding so I opted for the pill. I will definitely do some research. I have a question...I don't know if you can answer... does one have to be over "108 lbs" to get their period? Because I have heard that is true and sometimes my weight can go below that...so would that be screwing things up?

Kassandra

[CarlaB]

Kassandra, how tall are you? There isn't a real cut-off weight ... it depends on your body. My daughter was 5'9" and wore a size four in high school ... she's since grown to a more normal size for her height. When she was thinne (she's still slender), she just didn't have normal periods.

I can see why they wanted to stop the bleeding, I just don't agree that they should have started it in the first place.

Bleeding too much would be a concern for you, but not having a period isn't. If you were 25 and still not menstruating regularly and were a normal weight, then I'd be concerned. My 19 year old does menstruate every month now, but one month it will be for 2 days, then another will be for a week. She's still not regular in that regard. She didn't even get them monthly till she was older.

Since you're thinner than she was, I'd guess it will be the same for you.

Runners tend to get ammenhorea ... it's not a health problem for them, it's a low body fat issue. You might Google using "runner" "ammenhoria" to see that it's normal.

Good luck in your search.

[Babygirl6915]

Babygirl,

I have an IUD and I've never had a child ... if you're interested in one, I'd find another gyn. My gyn had no problem with an IUD for me, nor did my insurance company .. it cost $10 out of pocket! In fact, my gyn RECOMMENDS the Mirena for people with PMS symptoms.

It's the #1 form of protection outside the US - we're a little backward re. IUDs and some older practioners may not be as familiar with them.

Seriously - if you're having PMS Babygirl (and you're over 18) you might try taking the planned Parenthood info from the link I gave above to another gyn. It doesn't mention anything about that. Find one who works with IUDs and is experienced with the insertion (which is a more painful if you haven't given birth, because you're smaller, but it's totally bearable and over quickly).

(And, if by chance you're in southern VA, I'll recommend my gyn, who I adored.)

grey

Sorry to reply so late! I was on vacay @ the lake... I am 24 & have never been pregnant. Therefore my gyno said no IUD b/c it would scar my uterus & be hard to get pregnant afterwards. Is this true? Has nayone had an IUD before 1st pregnancy & still had an "easy" time getting pregnant? If so, I am SOOOOOOOO getting an IUD! I am allergic to condoms but we have been using them anyways! Thanks ladies for the input!

[confusedks]

CarlaB,

I am 5' 4" and weight 110 lbs. I am thin, but not extremely thin. I will definitely research some stuff.

Kassandra

[grey]

Kassandra,

When I was sixteen, I got put on the pill. I didn't start menstruating until I was 13 or 14 and then I had only two periods over the next years. My body fat was very t very low because I was an elite competitive swimmer - I was told that was the problem, not my weight which was around 95-100 and I was 5' to 5'1.

The concern was not late starting to menstruate, but rather that I was amenorrheaic and they were worried about the long-term effects on my bones, etc. There are a lot of medical studies that show that being amenorrheaic can affect your bone mineral density and bone formation as a teenager that then has effect later in life (in 30/40s and beyond).

I'm in my 30s now and the mds consider the amenorr. to be an additional risk factor. I went off the pill after college, then back on after about 5 or 6 years. I'm off it now (IUD) and won't go back on. When off the pill, I was always irregular - my cycle was definately not 28 days and I would bleed for only a couple of days.

Three years ago, I went to the doctor because I'd been bleeding - more heavily than usual for me - for three months. She had me double up the pill for a short time to get the bleeding under control. Then she switched the type of pill to get me on different kinds of hormones.

*But* her main concern was my adrenal system. She didn't find anything gyn wrong, but thought I was suffering from 'adrenal fatigue' brought on by stress. She had me take certain vitamins to support the adrenal system (I can't remember what they were).

Of course, I had no idea I had celiac then, so that would have made a difference.

So, long story short, I've been through some things kind of similar to what you're dealing with. I'm not a huge fan of the pill as it definately messed with my system once I was an adult (it made my migraines a nightmare). It does sound like you need some help getting the bleeding under control, though. I would definately ask more questions of your doctor, such as why the pill? What are his/her specific concerns about your situation (ie, what is the pill supposed to treat)? Have they checked for thyroid, other endocrine elements?

good luck

[CarlaB]

CarlaB,

I am 5' 4" and weight 110 lbs. I am thin, but not extremely thin. I will definitely research some stuff.

Kassandra

Kassandra, your BMI is lower than my daughters was in HS.

Personally, from my experience with myself and with her, I'd wait till you're about 19 and see if things don't even out by then. I think 17 is too young to have these concerns.

As grey mentioned, they worry about bone density, but if you're eating right and doing some kind of resistance exercise, that helps with bones. It can be weightlifting or some other resistance exercise (bands, etc.).

I think the exercise is a much better and safer solution than going on the Pill. My dad has been a weightlifter since he was 15 ... he is now 70 and has the bones of a 20-30 year old. It works.

Good luck. Please, anything the doctors tell you, research yourself. I was needlessly suffering for many years because of doctor's ignorance.

[confusedks]

Kassandra, your BMI is lower than my daughters was in HS.

Personally, from my experience with myself and with her, I'd wait till you're about 19 and see if things don't even out by then. I think 17 is too young to have these concerns.

As grey mentioned, they worry about bone density, but if you're eating right and doing some kind of resistance exercise, that helps with bones. It can be weightlifting or some other resistance exercise (bands, etc.).

I think the exercise is a much better and safer solution than going on the Pill. My dad has been a weightlifter since he was 15 ... he is now 70 and has the bones of a 20-30 year old. It works.

Good luck. Please, anything the doctors tell you, research yourself. I was needlessly suffering for many years because of doctor's ignorance.

That's really interesting about bone density. She knows that because of all my spine problems I'm not able to do much exercise right now. I'm not totally against the pill because so far I don't have any side effects but if and when that becomes a problem.

Kassandra

[sunshinen]

I always lose weight when I go off the pill. Fortunately, I lose it more quickly than I gain it when I go on the pill.

[skinnyminny]

I wonder if some people just cannot tolerate the pill I have had problems with everyone I tried and finally got off this weekend. I have terrible side effects. I was only taking it to regulate my periods. So what is the natural planning you are reffering to?

The reason mine arent regular is I am underweight as well.

[CarlaB]

Skinnyminny, natural family planning is taking observations of temperature, mucus, and cervical changes to determine what part of the month is fertile and what part is infertile.

Many NFP teachers also have access to information that can help a woman with cycle problems with supplementation.

But, as you say, if you're underweight, that will cause cycle issues. Estrogen is fat soluble, so if you don't have enough body fat, you may not have enough estrogen to ovulate. Your body will eventually bleed anyway without ovulation if it needs to. Without ovulation there is not as much "stuff" building up in there.

I know gaining weight can be difficult, I struggle to keep mine up. But if you're too thin for them to be regular, gaining weight is the solution.